Humboldt County CA Archives History - Books .....Ferndale And Vicinity 1890
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Book Title: History And Business Directory Of Humboldt County

FERNDALE AND VICINITY.

    Ferndale is in point of population, the largest town in Southern Humboldt,
and is favorably located on the south side of Eel river valley. The town may be
said to have been in existence for about twenty years. It takes its name from
the quantity and size of the fern that grows in the vicinity of the town. Its
population is about 1,200 and it is located about one mile south of Salt river,
at the foot of a range- of hills which bound Eel river valley on the south.
Francis creek is a clear, swift little stream, flowing through the town,
offering excellent facilities for drainage. Ferndale is well situated for a
business town, nearly all the farmers of main Eel river valley doing their
trading there, besides being a trading post for the residents of a large area of
country south of it. Ferndale has four schools with about two hundred and fifty
scholars. It is amply supplied with Churches and Fraternal Societies; it has
capacious halls, in sufficient number to accommodate a much larger town.

    Mr. Ira Russ and the members of Ferndale Lodge, No. 193, F & A. M., combined
and erected the Masonic Temple, a structure of magnificent proportions, and
modern architecture; Mr. Russ also completed one of the handsomest and best
devised edifice (excepting the county Court House) in Humboldt. The building is
fire-proof, in so far, as a wooden structure can be made fire-proof. The walls
are built of solid wood, nine inches thick; the partitions are also solid wood
about seven inches thick and hard-finished. It would seem impossible for any
fire to gain headway. The roof is so arranged that it can be flooded in a few
moments. In a compartment off the main hall up-stairs, are properly arranged
several sections of hose, which are fastened to water pipes with a heavy
pressure derived from the Ferndale Water Works. The facilities to suddenly
extinguish a fire in this building are unexcelled. The upper floor is
conveniently arranged for offices of every professional calling. The ground
floor will be occupied as a BANK (branch of the Humboldt County Bank).

    Ferndale is guarded by two police officers, and maintains a well organized
fire department. L. Canepa conducts the American Hotel, which is second to none
in the county. Barnes & Scott, the pioneer livery men, run the American stables
and stages. The most popular mercantile establishment north of San Francisco is
the "Brick Store," conducted by Messrs. Russ, Barley & Williams. The firm is
reliable, energetic and enterprising, enjoying a very liberal patronage. W. B.
Alford is the popular Justice of the Peace and druggist. He also carries a full
line of books, stationery, and musical instruments. Mr. B. B. Nichols, the
artistic interior decorator, deserves special mention. Mr. Nichols possesses the
American grit which is at times necessary to succeed in an undertaking against
adverse circumstances. He is the discoverer and owner of a "Metallic Paint
Mine," which is regarded by experts to contain superior qualities to Prince's
famous paint. It gained the highest awards at the County and State Fairs of
1890. Our space will not permit us to mention the many other flourishing
industries in this naturally gifted town, and therefore must conclude by only
one more reference. In the line of increase in population, industries and
wealth, much can be attributed to the energetic efforts of Messrs. Carr and
Scotton, editors and proprietors of the Ferndale Enterprise. The paper has a
wide circulation. It fairly represents the resources and people of the
surrounding section, and is one of the ablest newspapers north of San Francisco.
Ferndale indeed merits its large and advanced prosperity.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History and Business Directory of

HUMBOLDT COUNTY
DESCRIPTIVE OF THE
NATURAL RESOURCES
DELIGHTFUL CLIMATE
PICTURESQUE SCENERY
BEAUTIFUL HOMES

THE ONLY COUNTY IN THE STATE CONTAINING NO CHINAMEN

LILLIE E. HAMM, PUBLISHER
(COPYRIGHTED)
EUREKA, CALA.
DAILY HUMBOLDT STANDARD 
NOVEMBER, 1890.


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